Sunday, July 17, 2022

Atlantic County Receives $521K in Shared Services Grant Funding

Atlantic County and several of its municipalities were awarded state Local Efficiency Achievement Program grants totaling more than $521,000 for the implementation of shared services activities to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Of the 20 grants awarded throughout the state, six went to Atlantic County.

“We’re proud of our efforts to work with our municipalities to find savings for our taxpayers,” stated County Executive Dennis Levinson. “As most of our citizens know, I have been advocating for shared services among local governments and school districts for decades, but New Jersey has a long history of home rule which can make it a hard sell.”

Atlantic County was successful in opening the Central Municipal Court of Atlantic County in January 2022, becoming the first consolidated municipal court system in the state that currently includes nine towns and as of August 1 will also include Corbin City.

Fifteen towns will participate in the six grant-funded shared services and benefit from cost savings.

A LEAP grant in the amount of $201,364 was awarded to Absecon for an agreement with Galloway Township for emergency dispatch services. The grant funds will be used to upgrade equipment to ensure compatibility between the two towns.

Ventnor received a $37,500 LEAP grant for the purchase of an emergency management trailer that will serve as a shared command center for Ventnor, Margate and Longport. Ventnor also received a $112,500 grant so it can purchase a truck and equipment to store brine and treat county roads located within the town.

Longport will use a $56,250 LEAP grant for new computer software to manage flood plain activities and increase flood insurance discounts for its residents through the National Flood Insurance Program. Access to the system will be shared with Brigantine, Egg Harbor Township, Hamilton Township, Pleasantville, Somers Point and Ventnor.

Atlantic County will help protect the safety of road crews and motorists with the purchase of three trailer-mounted attenuators and three electronic sign boards with its $64,078 grant. The equipment will be shared among 12 municipalities that include Absecon, Brigantine, Buena Vista Township, Egg Harbor City, Folsom, Hammonton, Linwood, Margate, Mullica Township, Northfield, Pleasantville and Ventnor.

An additional $50,000 was awarded to the county to fund the position of its full-time shared services coordinator, Tim Kreischer.

 

County News